Rescuing device for submarines



NOV. 17, 1931. E, E-r AL 1,832,198

RESCUING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINES Filed March 50, 1928 \NVENTOES E. I Gar/H GJ/VJEP/f) ATTORNEYS latented Nov. 1 7, 1931 ATE Fr es f EZRA I. GAMET AND CHARLES J'. MURPHY, AURORA, ILLINOIS RESCUING DEVICE FOR SUZBIVLARINES Application filed. March 30, 1928. Serial No 266,012.

Our invention relates to improvements in rescuing devices for submarines, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide a rescuing device for submarines by means of which persons in a disabled or sunken submarine or any tube, casing, tank, or other submerged object may be brought to the surface safely.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be readily'attached to-the submerged device and which has novel means whereby it may be readily handled by a diver.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which can be used in any depth of; water in which a diver can work. i

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of our device as applied to a submarine or the like,

Figure 2 isan enlarged section substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 1 is a section along the line l4 of Figure 2.

In carrying out our invention, we provide a receiving casing 1 which may be of any desired shape in cross section, but in this illustration it is substantially rectangular in cross section. The casing 1 is provided with a passenger chamber 2 which is of a suflicient size to receive one of the occupants of the submarine indicated generally at 3. The casing 1 is also provided with an outer chamber 4: which is separated from the passenger chamber by a water-tight door 5. It will be noted that the outer chamber 4: is larger in cross section than the passenger chamber. Therefore, the door 5, which is pivotally mounted upon a control lever shaft 6 in the outer com partment 4, may be swung into and out of registration with theinlet opening of the compartment 2. The shaft 6 is provided with a hand lever 7 for actuating the door from the exterior of the device.

Exteriorly operated means is provided for locking the door 5 in'closed position. This means consists of a locking bar 8 which is slidably carried byv lugs 9 and which is pivot ally secured to a bell crank locking lever 10 by means of a link 11. A. notch 12 is provided in the locking bar for receiving one of two projections 13 which are integral with the door 5.

Buoyancy tanks 14: and 15 are rigidly mounted upon the casing 1 and are provided with inlet valves 16 and 17, respectively, and

outlet valves 18 and 19, respectively. Inlet valves 20 and 21 are also provided for the casing 1 and the outer compartment 1.

senger compartment 2 and the outer compart-, ment 4, respectively.

Any suitable means may be employed for locking the device to a submarine or the like.

Outi let valves 22 and 23 are provided for the pas- From the foregoingdescription of the va- 1 'rious parts of the device, the operation thereofmay be readily understood. In order to operate the device efficiently, we must assume that a rescue ship. equipped with a hoist and compressed air mechanism is employed, to-

gether with a diver andoperators upon the rescue ship. An air line 27 is attached to the valve 20 and is in connnunication with the compressed air mechanism not shown. The valves 16 and 17 are opened and the buoyancy I tanks 14 and 15 are filled with air at atmospheric pressure. The valves 16 and 17 are then closed. The valves'18, l9, 21, and 23 are also closed. The door 5 is swung in the opened position. The device is now in a position to be lowered to the sunken submarine. The buoyancy tanks, which are filled with air at atmospheric pressure, allow the device to movedownwardly at a moderate rate of speed and tend to support the device, whereby it maybe readily handled by a diver who is stationed at the door of the submarine.

The diver places the device adjacent the door of the submarine and positions the hook clamps 25 over and in engagement with the door flange 24. By forcing inwardly upon the levers 26, the clamps 25 will then rigidly secure the device to the door of the submarine. Any sui able sealing means, such as a gasket 28, may be disposed between the flange 24 and the open end of the device;

'lhe diver at this point opens the valve 20 and the valves 22 and 23, admitting air under pressure to enter the passenger chamber 2 and the outer chamber 4i for forcing the water from these chambers through the valves 22 and When this has been accomplished, the valves and 2 1 can be closed, together with the valve 20. The diver may then signal to the occupants of the submarine by any suitable code, such by tapping upon the submarine, thus notifying the occupants that the device is reacy. The occupants may then open the door of the submarine and allow one man to pass into the passenger chamber or compartment 2. The diver may watch the movement of the occupant into the passenger chamber through a transparent porthole 29 which is provided in the casing l and disposed substantially adjacent the door 5. When the occupant has passed into the chamber 2, the diver may then swing the door 5 into the closed position by actuating the control lever 7. Then by actuating the lever 10, the locking bar 8 may be forced downwardly, engaging with the lugs 13 and firmly holding the door in closed position.

The diver at this point opens the valves 16, 17, 18, and 19. The door of the submarine is closed. Then by swinging the levers 26 outwardly, the device may be freed from the submarine and conveyed to the rescue ship by means of the hoist. -l ifhen the device is upon the rescue ship, the door 5 may be unlocked by actuating the lever 10 so as to draw the locking bar upwardly. Then by swinging the control lever 7 so as to open the door 5, the occupant may pass from the chamber 2 and out of the device. This operation may be continued until all the occupants of the submarine have been taken from the submarine and placed upon the rescue ship.

The device as shown is constructed for one occupant. However, it is obvious that a device may be' similarly constructed to receive several occupants and perhaps the entire crew of a submarine without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim: v

The combination with a submersible body having a hatchway provided with a marginal flange portion, of an elongated tubular tank having an open end and a closed end, clamping elements connected with the tank adjacent the open end thereof and adapted for vided with a carrying chamber and a loading chamber, said loading chamber being in communication with the open end thereof, a partitioning door hingedly mounted within the tank and positioned between the loading chamber and the carrying chamber, locking 1 means for holdingthe door in closed position, a lock actuating means mounted on the exterior of said tank and connected with the locking means whereby said locking means may be actuatedfrom the exterior of the I tank, a door actuating means connected with the door and extending to the exterior of the tank whereby said doormay be operated from the exterior of the body portion, an air line connected with the tank and in communication with an air pump whereby air may be forced into the tank under pressure, and valve 1 ieinbers connected with the tank and in communication with the carrying chamber and loading chamber whereby communication may belprovided between said chambers and the exterior of tl e tank. I

' Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 27th day of hlarch,

EZRA I. GAMET. CHARLES J. MURPHY. 

